Lessons of Belonging and Citizenship Among “Hijas/os de Inmigrantes Mexicanos”

Part of a special issue on Latino citizenship and social justice. A study was conducted to discover how the U.S.-born children of immigrants learn to form a sense of national belonging. Data were obtained from interviews and field work with ten university-educated sons and daughters of immigrants wh...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ballasch, Melissa M. 1985- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2008
In: Social justice
Year: 2008, Volume: 35, Issue: 1, Pages: 50-75
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Ethnology
Immigrants > United States
Cultural Identity
Mexican American children
Mexican American studies
Citizenship > United States
Citizenship
Children of immigrants
Hispanic American children
Hispanic Americans > Ethnic identity
Hispanic Americans
Civil Rights
Description
Summary:Part of a special issue on Latino citizenship and social justice. A study was conducted to discover how the U.S.-born children of immigrants learn to form a sense of national belonging. Data were obtained from interviews and field work with ten university-educated sons and daughters of immigrants who were recruited as part of a larger study. Findings revealed the nexus between citizenship ideologies and identity; questions of citizenship for U.S.-born young adults involve more than their mere legal status. Findings suggested that participants' journey to citizenship is informed by their families' citizenship education and history, and how they build their sense of citizenship in everyday life. Findings indicated that, even with national citizenship and a university education, participants continue to be confronted by citizenship surveillance and must negotiate the dilemma of belonging. Findings are discussed in detail.